The conventional standard for bedding is a sheet set that typically includes a fitted sheet that elastically attaches over the four corners of a mattress to cover the top, sides and at least part of the bottom of the mattress.
However, in uses where the fitted sheet may become soiled, such as when used on an infant's mattress in a crib, changing the fitted sheet is very challenging and time-consuming. With the infant mattress, for example, to change a fitted sheet a crib “bumper” must first be removed, and the mattress must then be lifted out of what is usually a tight fit within the walls of the crib. Then, often before replacing the mattress back into the crib, a crib “skirt” must be realigned and reordered on a spring platform on which the mattress is placed.
One solution to the problems for infant mattresses above is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,655, to Kafai. The Kafai patent discloses a peripheral edge cover having a peripheral side panel for covering the side of the mattress. The panel has upper and lower edges, each having elasticized material incorporated at least partially therein, for extending continuously about the top and bottom surfaces of the mattress. However, the elasticized upper and lower edges of the Kafai cover obscure the corners of the peripheral side panel and make them very unnoticeable, making it very difficult to accurately align the peripheral edge cover on the mattress, or to efficiently position the edge cover around the mattress.